Pingbot Might Be Tiny, But It'll Beat You in a Dance-Off

[Credit: Tomdf on Instructables]Meet Pingbot: It's a tiny remote-controlled programmable robot that looks a bit like a bug. And when I say little, I mean it: It's only 38 millimeters in diameter. Of course, what makes Pingbot so sweet is that it can bust some pretty impressive dance moves--and you can make one yourself.

Instructables member "Tomdf" created Pingbot to test his ability not only to put together a funtional robot, but also to make one that looks the part. Secondly, he wanted to make Pingbot as small as he could while still giving it some personality. Pingbot can dance around at impressive speeds, and it can flash its LED eyes, and "sing" a little song to dance to.

The shell of Pingbot's body is made from Durable Fine Plastic--a material that Tomdf says is ideal for 3D printing--and Tomdf designed the bot using 3D modelling freeware. Inside, the tiny robot contains a microcontroller, a programming cable, four resistors, some motors, and a lithium-ion battery to name but a few parts--Tomdf has a full list of what you need and where to get parts for the project. There are also a few household objects you may need to make your Pingbot, like nail polish remover, tweezers, paper towels, and sandpaper.

Once you put one of these flea-like bots together and get it working, why stop there? You could make a little army of Pingbots, and make them all dance to the same beat. I'd certainly rather watch five of these robots jive around a paltform than your typical human dance group, anyway!

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Remember: If you don't have a 3D printer at your disposal, there are websitesoutthere that will print your model for you. Check out the Instuctables page to get started.